Incendiary shell



Patented Nov. 14, 1922.

' UNMED- STATES JOHN HAYS HAMMOND, an, or GLOUCESTER, massxcnusnrrs.

INCENDIARY SHELL.

Application filed December 21, 1914, Serial No. 878,248. Renewed October.4, 1922. Serial No. 592,393.

, siding at Gloucester, in the State of Massachusetts, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Incendiary Shells, of which thefollowing is a s ecification.

My invention relatesto s ells or project les to be discharged fromcannons or guns, and relates more particularly to incendiary shellsWl'llCll contain substances that will undergo chemical reactions withthe evolution of great heat and high temperatures, and which will bescattered when. the shell explodes,

thus burning all combustible substances in the neighborhood of the pointof explosion. Furthermore, some forms of my shells also containsubstances which will generate POI- sonous gases or vapors when theshell explodes and so prevent persons from approaching to extinguish thefires started by the incendiary substance.

I provide means for starting the reaction in the incendiary substancewhen the shell leaves the gun, and'means for. detonating the explosivealso contained in the shell when the latter hits its mark, preferablyafter it has penetrated to the interior of the building or ship which itstrikes.

A more complete disclosure of my invention is contained in the followingdescrip tion together with the accompanying drawings to which referenceis made.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section of a shell having two maincompartments, one containing a non-explosive reaction mixture andshrapnel balls and the other containing an explosive substance. I

Figure 2 shows a cross section of the same shell taken on the line X Xof Fig. 1.

Figure 3 shows a longitudinal sectionof a shell with two maincompartmentsmne containing a non-explosive reaction mixture having arapidly-igniting substance distributed therethrough, and the othercompartment containing an explosive substance.

Figure 4 shows a longitudinal section of a shell having three maincompartments, one containing a non-explosive reaction mixture having arapidly-igniting substance dis tributed therethrough, a secondcompartment containing a poisonous substance, and a third compartmentcontaining an explosive substance.

ing an outer wall or case bers Q and R. Compartment Q, has a refractoryor heat-resisting lining M, composed, for example of magnesite, magnesiatar or silicate of soda, and a partition, M, of the same refractorysubstance separates it from the compartment R. The partition M may becomposed in part of some substance havingspecial heat insulatingproperties, such as asbestos or an asbestos compound. Chamber Q containsan exothermic, non-explosive reaction mixture T, such as thermit,composed, for example, of iron oxide and aluminum, and imbedded in thismixture are shrapnel balls, S, the metal part of these balls, S, beingcovered with a refractory substance S I is a substance for igniting thereaction mixture, and is composed, for example, of a mixture of bariumperoxide and aluminum. C is a concussion fuse for igniting the ignitionsubstance I.

' The chamber R contains an explosive substance E such astrinitrotoluol. In the base plug, B, of the shell is a centrifugalpercussion fuse F, or other suitable fuse for detonating the explosivesubstance E after the projectile has penetrated the target. D is a softmetal band, for instance of copper, which is forced into the riflinggrooves when the projectile is fired.

In Figure 3, P is a projectile or shell hav- A, and comprising two mainchambers or compartments Q, and R. Compartment Q has a refractory orheat resisting lining M, and a partition M, composed of a refractory andheat insulating substance, separates it from the compartment R. ChamberQ contains a non-explosive reaction mixture, T, such as thermit, and itmay also contain shrapnel balls such as are shown in Fig. 1.

C, C and C are concussion fuses, which function when the gun isdischarged, and ignite the ignition powder at I, I and I ConnectedwithI, I' and I and imbedded in the thermit T is a system of hollow disks,J, and connecting channels, L, made 'of stiff paper, pasteboard or someother light and easily combustible substance, K, and filled with amixture, U which will ignite or react quickly, for example, a mixture ofred oxide of iron and aluminum.

The chamber R contains an explosive substance E. In the base plug, B, ofthe projectile is a fuse F, for detonating the explosive E after theshell has penetrated the target. D is a soft metal band.

In Figure 4, P is a projectile or shell having an outer wall or case A,and comprising three principal chambers Q W and Chamber Q? has arefractory and heat-insu lating partition M between it and the adjoiningchamber'W'. Chamber. Q? contains a non-explosive reaction mixture, T,such as thermit, and it may also contain shrapnel balls, such as areshown in Fig. .1. C, C and C are concussion fuses for setting fire f tothe ignitionpowder at-l, l and 1 Con nected with the ignition powderchambers I, I and I is a system of hollow disks, J,

and connecting channels, L, made of pasteboard or some other easilycombustible substance, K, and filled with a substance, U, which willignite or react quickly.

The chamber W contains a poisonous sub stance, H, such, for instance, ashydrocyanic acid, which will vaporize or scatter when theshell'explodes. There is an opening, G, for

introducin the poisonous substance into chamber which can be tightlyplugged.

Chamber It contains an explosive sub-- stance E. In the base plug, B, ofthe projectile is the fuse F for detonating the explosive E, after thetarget has been struck or penetrated. D is a soft metal'band forengaging with the riflingin the bore of the cannon.

The operation of my projectile of the form shown in Fig. 3 is asfollows:

When the projectile is fired from the muzzle of the gun, the concussionfuses C, C and C set fire to the ignition powder at I,

p I and 1 The ignition powder ignites the .mixture in the channels L anddisks J which burns very rapidly, and since the channels and disks aremade of a combustible substance, the whole body of the thermit, or othersubstance filling. chamber Q, is quickly ignited and reaction occursnearly simultaneously throughout the mass.' Within about five secondsafter leaving the gun, the chamber Q is filled with molten'iron andaluminum slag at a temperature of about 5000 Fahrenheit. When thermit isused, the reac-' tion which has occurred is the one in which oxygenleaves the iron oxide to combine with the aluminum, resulting inaluminum oxide and iron. On account of the thick-. ness and the materialof the wall TM between, chambers, Q, and R, and the shortness of time.between the discharge of the projectile and striking. of the target,sufiicient heat Wlll not pass through the wall M to causedecomposition.On striking and ing the target, which may be a building or a ship, thefuse F'functions a well known manner and detonates the" explosive E,

perforatwhich may be any suitable explosive. If trinitrotoluol is usedas the explosive, a violent detonator must be employed with the fuse.The explosion will break up the whole projectile and cause the white hotcontents of chamber Q to scatter. The centrifugal force due to therotation of the projectile will cause the molten metal in chamber Q tobe forced against the outer walls, form ing a cylindrical shell ofwhitehot metal, and there will be some vacant space near the axis of thecylinder, as the volume of the materials after the reaction will be lessthan before. As the center of the chamber Q will thus be empty, thegases resulting from the explosion in chamber ll, after breaking downthe partition M, will enter this space, and cause the chamber Q and itscontents to explode outwardly, with complete fragmentation and resultingwide-spread distribution of the incendiary material.

Shrapnel balls may be imbedded in the mixture in chamber Q, as shown atS in chamber Q, of Fig. 1, each ball being coveredwith suitablerefractory material to protect it from melting, but allowing itnevertheless to reach a red heat. The force of the explosion will breakthe refractory covering of the balls, leaving the red hot balls toscatter and add to the'incendiary effect, besides havingtheir. usualdestructive eifect on personnel and material. If the refractory coveringof the balls isflnot'broken by the explosion, it will be broken when theballs strike any hard object,

When'theform of'projectile shown in Fig. 4 is used, and explosionoccurs, the hydrocyanic acid or ot er poisonous substance H in chamber Wis vaporized and sprayed or scattered in the vicinity of the explosion,so that anyone attempting to ut out the fires caused by the incendiary sell-will'be ren-' dered insensible or killed by the fumes or gases. Thehydrocyanic acid or other poisonous material in chamber W should beprotected from the heat of the thermit reaction by the heat insulatingwall M.

The shrapnel balls shown in Fig. 1 may be used in the forms of=shellshown in Figs. 3 and/l, and the'chamber containing poisonous substanceshown in Fig. 4 may beused with .the form'of shell shown in Fig; 1. Anysuitable substances for the ignition powder, the reaction mixture, theexplosive and poisonous material may be employed, and I may-use anyfuses or other igmting and detonating means suitable for my purposes.The form and shape of the-shell or projectile may be any that issuitable, andin gen-.

eral, I do not confine myself to the-particular apparatus and materialshere shown, but' various changes and modifications, within the lmowledgeof those skilled in the art. may be made in the particular apparatus andmaterials shown and described erein, withice out departing from thespirit of my invention, provided the means set forth in the followingclaims be employed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a projectile, thecombination with a suitable casing, of an enclosed charge comprisin anexothermic, non-explosive reac tion mixture, and an explosive substance,and successively acting means for igniting the non-explosive componentand for detonating the explosive component of the charge.

2. A bomb having two separate chambers, one chamber containing anon-explosive reaction mixture, and the second chamber containing anexplosive substance, means for igniting the non-explosive mixture, andmeans for subsequently exploding the explosive Substance.

8. A projectile comprisinga chamber lined with fire-resisting material,a non-explosive reaction mixture contained in said chamber, a secondchamber, an explosive substance contained in said second chamber, meansfor igniting said non-explosive mixture, and means for subsequentlyexploding said explosive substance. I

4. In a shell, a chamber lined with fireresisting material, anon-explosive reaction mixture contained therein, an igniting substancedistributed through the mixture, a second chamber separated from thefirst chamber by a heat-proof partition, an explosive substancecontained in said second chamber, means for igniting the non-explosivemixture, and means for subsequently exploding the explosive mixture.

5. incendiary projectile, comprising two separate compartments, thelarger of said compartments being nearer the point of the projectile andcontaining a non-explosive, reaction mixture, the smaller of saidcompartments being nearer the base of said projectile and containing anexplosive substance, and independent means for igniting the reactionmixture and detonating the explosive substance.

6. In combination, a shell comprising a casing and plurality ofchambers, one of said chambers having a lining of refractory -materialand containing a non-explosive reaction mixture, means for rapidlyigniting said reaction mixture, poisonous substances contained inasecond of saidchambers, explosive substances contained in a third ofsaid chambers, and means for explosive substances.

7. In combination, a shell comprising a casing and a plurality ofcompartments, one of said compartments having a refractory lining andcontaining a non-explosive reaction mixture, shrapnel balls imbedded insaid reaction mixture, said balls having a refractory coating, means forcausing said mixture to react rapidly, an explosive subdetonatin g saidstance contained in another of said compartments, a heat-insulatingpartition between said compartments, an independent means forigniting'said reaction mixture and for ex-. ploding said explosivesubstance.

8. In combination, a shell comprising a suitable casing and a pluralityof chambers, one of said chambers having a.refractory lining andcontaining an exothermic, nonexplosive reaction mixture, shrapnel ballsimbedded in said reaction mixture, said balls being'composed of metaland having a re fractory coating, means for ignitin said reactionmixture and means for rapid y spreading the reaction throughout the massof the fuses for said ignitmixture, a plurality 0 ing means, arefractory and heat-insulating partition between said first chamber andthe other chambers, a poisonous substance contained ina second of saidchambers, an explosive substance contained in a third of said chambers,and means for detonating said explosive substance subsequent to theignition of said reaction mixture.

9. A method of incendiarism which consists in causing a non-explosivereaction mixture contained in a shell to react during the flight of theshell, in exploding said shell after striking a target and in scatteringthe hot products of'the reaction.

10. A method of producing fires by means of incendiary shells whichconsists in cans inga non-explosive reaction mixture contained in ashell to react at a high temperature, in exploding said shell after ithas penetrated its target, and in scattering the resultant products ofthe reaction.

11. A method of incendiarism in warfare which consists in causing anon-explosive reaction mixture contained in a shell to react at a hightemperature during the flight of the shell, in exploding said shellafter it has penetrated its target, in scattering the resultant productsof the reaction, and in generating poisonous gases at the point ofexplosion.

12. In a projectile, the combination with means providing a plurality ofcompartments, explosive means in one of said compartments, exothermicreaction means in another of sald compartments, and means for ignitingsaid exothermic means and explodin said explosive means.

means providing a plurality of normally closed compartments, explosivemeans in one of said compartments, non-explosive exothermic reactionmeans in another of said compartments, and means for igniting said andmeans for successively initiating the re-' action of said exothermicmeans and exploding the said explosive means.

- 171 In a projectile, the combination with means providing a pluralityof normally closed compartments, of non-explosive exothermicreactionmeans in one of said com'- partments, explosive means in another of saidcompartments and means for successively initiating the reaction of saidexothermic means and exploding said explosive means. I A v 18. In aprojectile, the combination with means providing a plurality of separatecompartments, of non-explosive exothermic reaction means in one of saidcompartments,

explosive means in another of said compartments, and means for inltiatmgthe reaction of said exothermic means and. for exploding normally c osedcontainer of non-explosive.

said explosive means.

19. In a projectlle, the combination with means providing a plurality ofnormally I closed separate compartments,l'of non-ex-v plosive exothermicreaction means in oneof said compartments, explosive means inflan-tother of said "compartments, and means for initiating the reaption ofsaid exothermicfor exploding said explosive v means and f I means. i pp1 '20.. In a projectile, the combination-with means providing aplurality of compart ments, of non-explpsive exothermic reaction meansin one of said compartments, explof sive'means in another of saidcompartments,

means rendered active as the result of the projection of said projectilefor initiating the reaction of said exothermic means, and" means forexplodin said explosive means.

'21. In 'a projecti e,.the combination with means providing a pluralityof compartments, of non-explosive exothermicreaction means in one ofsaid compartments, explosive means in another of said compartments,

means rendered active as the result of the means and means for explodingsaid'expld' sive means.

22. In a projectile, the combination with means providing a plurality ofcompartments, of non-explosive exothermic reaction means in one of saidcompartments, explosive means in another of said compartments, meansrendered active as the result of the --projection of said projectile forinitiating -means and for exploding said explosive means, 24:. in aprojectile, the

ill-

combination with a normally closed container of non-explosive exothermicreaction means and explosive means in saidlcontainer, and means forsuccessively' initiating the reaction of said exothermic means andexploding said explosivemeans. i

25. In a rojectile, the combination with a normally 0 osed container ofnon-explosive exothermic reaction means and explosive -means in saidcontainer, means for initiating the reaction of said exothermic means asa result of the projection of said projectile, and means'i'orexplodingsaid explosive means as a result of the striking of a target bysaidprojectile. v

26. In a rojectile', the combination with aexothermic reaction meansinsaid container,

thermic means, and means operative to cause the. discharge of saidexothermic means means rendered'active as a resultof the projection ofsaid container. for ln tiat ng the 'reaction' of said exothermic 'means,and

means rendered; activeas aresult of the striking of a target by saidcontainer for meansto initiate the reaction of said exo- "from saidcontainer an appreciable time after the initiation of said reaction. 27.In a projectile, the combination with a jnormally closed container ofnon-explosive. exothermic reaction meansin said container,

discharging said reaction means from said contalner; v t

28. A method of incendiarism WhlCll consists'm causing a non-explosivereaction m1xtu're contained in a-shell to react. during the flight ofthe shell and in exploding said shell an appreciable time after theinitiation of 1 said reaction; I

29. In a rojectile, the combination with a'holloyv bo y portionprovidedv with a compartment, heat insulatmg' material forming aimingfor the inner'surface of said c0m-' partment, -a non-explosiveexothermic Iteaction material contained in said compartment, acombustible container arranged in said compartment, readily ignitablematerial arrangedin said container, means for igniting said readilyignitable material as a result of the projection of said projectile froma un, anexplosive substance for exploding sald hollow body portionarranged within said body portion but outside of said compartment, andmeans carried by said pro jectile for detonating said exploslve materialupon impact of said projectile with a target.

30. In aprojectile, the combination with a hollow body portion providedwith a normally closed compartment, heat insulating material forming alining for the inner surface of said compartment, a non-explosiveexothermic reaction material contained in said compartment, acombustible container arranged in said compartment, readily ignitablematerial arranged in said container, means including a plurality offuses arranged in said compartment for igniting said readily ignitablematerial as a result of the projection of said projectile from a gun, anexplosive substance for exploding said hollowbody portion arrangedwithin said body portion but outside of said com-' partment, and meanscarried by said projectile for detonating said explosive material uponimpact of said projectile with a target.

31. In a projectile, a container provided with a plurality of chambers,an explosive means in one chamber, a metallic substance in anotherchamber, means operative after the projection of said projectile forreducing said substance to a molten condition I and means for explodingsaid explosive means.

32. In a projectile, a container provided with a plurality of chambers,an explosive means in one chamber, a substance in solid form in anotherchamber, means operative after the projection of said projectile forreducing said substance to a hot fluid condition, and means forexploding said explosive means.

33. In a projectile, the combination with a container, of thermitarranged in said con I tainer, and means for exploding and igniting saidthermit also arranged in said container.

34. In a projectile, the combination with a normally closed container,of thermit arranged in said container, and means for igniting saidthermit and exploding said container also arranged in said container.

causing the exp osion of said explosivemeans, and'for causing theignition of said thermit. j

36. In aprojectile, the combination with a normally closed container, ofnon-explosive exothermic reaction means which may be ignited only at acomparatively high temperature in said container, and means in saidcontainer for igniting said exothermlic means and for exploding saidcontainer.

37. In a projectile, the combination with a normally closed container,of: aluminothermic material arranged in said container and means carriedby said container for igniting said material.

38. In a projectile, the combination with a container, of aluminothermicmaterial arranged in said container, and means carried by said containerfor igniting said material as a result of a sudden change in themovement of said projectile.

39. In a projectile, the combination with a container, of aluminothermicmaterial ignitable only at a comparatively high temperature arranged insaid container, material ignitable at a low temperaturearranged in saidcontainer to ignite said aluminothermic material, and means carried bysaid container for igniting said second mentioned material.

container, of aluminothermic material ignitable only at a comparativelyhigh tem-. perature arranged in said container, material ignitable at alow temperature arranged in said container to ignite said aluminothermicmaterial, and means carried by said container and rendered'efiective asa result of a sudden changein the motion of said projectile for ignitingsaid second mentioned material.

Signed at New York, in the county of 40. In a projectile, thecombination with a New York, and State of New York, this 18th day ofDecember, A. D. 1914.

JOHN HAYS a

